Wednesday, June 1, 2011

GAME 1 NOTES

Just as I was thinking what kind of snack I wanted to get from the kitchen for what looked like a triple overtime game. Raffi FREAKIN Torres scored with 18.5 seconds left! Holy crap what a finish. Okay, so I have a lot to get out so this may get a little scatterbrain-ish.

1) I'm so glad special teams didn't rear it's ugly head. Isn't it refreshing to watch a game where there's not like hmmm...12 penalties? Oh wait! (I hope you can sense my sarcasm).

2) Continuing along with the theme of penalties, I wouldn't be peeved off if all 12 powerplays were deserved. For example, the Boston penalty where the player "hooked" Henrick Sedin. I'm a Canucks fan and although I'm happy we caught a break I recognize that wasn't a penalty. If I was a Bruins fan I would be pissed cuz that looked like a HUGE scoring chance. Of course though the refs made up for their mistake. They handed out an outrageous call to Burrows for goaltender interference. Tell me how you can call interference when the goalie is 3 feet out of his crease? I'm a strong believer that when you're out of your blue, the goalie is in the wrong. Also, I find it terrible that the ref at centre made the call instead of the ref directly behind the net. I don't get it. *insert shrugged shoulders here*

3) Love the way the Canucks started the game. I believe that the Sedins deserved more than they got tonight. They played a great game working the cycle as usual, but my credit goes out to Thomas for being beast in the first few moments of the game.

4) I LOVE the nastiness beginning between these two teams, we had a big scrum that involved Bergeron and Burrows. Could you imagine a scrap between those guys. It would be the dirtiest fight of the playoffs, I'm pretty sure the shanks out of the socks would come out. Great battle from my most personally hated Bruin - Marchand. Finally, the fantastic grit between Max Lapierre and Andrew Ferance. Can't wait to see how these battles unfold.

5) Maxim Lapierre was an absolute beast tonight. I watched his game very closely and he made a differance. He's great in the playoffs especially and his style of play fits great into that 3rd line.

6) The goalies stood on their heads tonight. I tip my hat to Timmy Thomas because I strongly believe if it wasn't for him this game turns into a 3-0 game. Luongo and Thomas are my two favorite goalies respectively.

7) Speed kills! The Camucks 2nd to 4th lines are speedy and it showed tonight. Boston will have huge problems with this in the future. We need to use our speed to our advantage.

8) I'm glad neither team scored on their powerplays because either cities would have had a mad ref controversy going on. 3rd period hockey games are always tons of fun.

9) I believe the goal Raffi scored will become a repeated goal against Thomas. First I think that as a coach you tell your 3rd and 4th lines this: "You may not always be the hero, but go out there and make a DIFFERENCE". That's exactly what Raffi did. Also, I think that is one of the very few ways to beat this fantastic goalie and we need to use it more often.

10) What's with all these Candian guys turning into Bruins fans? Obviously there is Milan Lucic and Cam Neely because they are part of the organization. Even Don Cherry I can tolerate but now Burnaby native Michael J Fox is routing for the B's possibly. Come on Canada! Put the team on your back!

Players of the Game:

Boston: Tim Thomas
Kept them in the game and almost single handedly brought them into OT

Vancouver: Raffi Torres
Well he got the game winner with 18.5 seconds what do you want me to do?